News Release

Lions Quest Announces Educator Award Winner

OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS, USA, August 27, 2010 – Angela Troppa has been named as the Lions Quest Educator Award grand prize winner. Troppa, a social worker at Fairview Elementary School in Springfield, IL, USA, was selected for her successful implementation of the Lions Quest program.

“Lions Quest has given students a better sense of community at our school, taught them skills to handle anger more effectively and to get along better,” said Troppa.

The Educator Award was established to celebrate the contributions of educators across the U.S. toward positive youth development. Lions Quest, a program of Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), sponsored the inaugural contest.

LCIF and Lions have a long-established commitment to youth. Through funding from LCIF, Lions work with schools throughout the world to implement the positive youth development program. Lions also support Lions Quest by conducting service projects with schools in their local communities.

“Educators are extremely important to supporting the development of youth,” said Eberhard J. Wirfs, Chairperson, LCIF. “By recognizing excellence among educators, Lions Quest further emphasizes the central role they play.”

Troppa demonstrates the impact educators have on students when Lions Quest is used in the classroom. On a weekly basis, Troppa teaches Skills for Growing lessons to students in Kindergarten to fifth grade. Her program goals are to provide students with skills to manage anger, get along with others, and properly address peer pressure and bullying. The school also participates in a number of service learning projects that raise awareness of social issues and enhance classroom lessons. To increase the program’s effectiveness, families are engaged in student activities and development.

Springfield Public Schools, the district of Fairview Elementary, have been implementing Lions Quest programs since 1998. Teachers at Fairview have seen an improvement in school climate and student skill development.

Lions Quest has provided positive youth development for more than 25 years. The program teaches skills to resist drugs, peer pressure and violence while building self-esteem, peer relations, decision-making and problem solving. Students learn valuable skills for emotional and social development.

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Lions Quest is a worldwide initiative of LCIF, the official charitable organization of Lions Clubs International. LCIF has been committed to community service and serving youth since it was established in 1968. Nearly 12 million youth in 60 countries have taken part in a Lions Quest classroom, and more than 500,000 educators and other adults have been trained to implement the program. For more information, visit the Web site at www.lions-quest.org or www.lcif.org.